“What’s the matter?” came the little man’s query, when Hal prodded him gently in the ribs with his foot.

“Time to get up,” said Hal, briefly.

For a moment Stubbs opened his eyes and peered into the darkness—­for Hal had made no light.

“Get up?” he exclaimed.  “What!  Anthony Stubbs get up in the middle of the night?  Not much!”

“But we are going, Stubbs,” said Hal.  “We don’t want to leave you here by yourself.”

“Kind of you,” said Stubbs sarcastically.  “I can remember when you were not so solicitious of my welfare.  Don’t worry about me.  I’ll just sleep right along.”

He turned over and a loud snore a few moments later told that he was again in the land of dreams.

Again Hal prodded him with his foot.

“Stubbs!  I say, Stubbs!” he called.

Directly Stubbs opened his eyes.

“And what’s the matter this time?” he demanded aggrievedly.

“Hurry!” Hal exclaimed, thinking to get the little man up by a ruse.  “The Austrians are coming.”

“Run, then!” replied Stubbs.  “I’ll hide here.  They won’t bother me.”

“Now listen here, Stubs,” said Chester, “just when do you want to get up?”

Again Stubbs allowed his eyes to open and he peered into the darkness sleepily.

“What day is this?” he inquired mildly.

“Tuesday,” replied Chester; “but what—­”

“Then call me Saturday,” said the little man gently, and closed his eyes in sleep once more.

“Ha!  Ha!” laughed Colonel Anderson.  “He had you there, Chester.”

Chester appeared somewhat flustered.

“Well, he’ll have to get up out of there,” he said wrathfully.

“Oh, come on and let him be, Chester,” said Hal.  “I guess nothing will hurt him.  We’ll be back by daylight and I’ll venture to say we will find him here, still snoring.”

“Well, all right,” Chester agreed at length; “but to tell you the truth, I don’t just like that answer he gave me.”

The three left the tent and Hal led the way toward where he had so recently perceived the passing troops.

Infantry, cavalry and artillery were still passing in dense masses, moving westward.

“I wonder where they are going?” said Chester.

“To the front, I suppose,” replied Hal.

“Now do you really suppose they are?” asked Chester sarcastically.  “I thought perhaps they were on dress parade.  Say, just where are we anyhow?  Do either of you know?”

“By Jove!” exclaimed Colonel Anderson.  “I meant to ask Edwards, but I forgot all about it.  He told us, you remember, he would be in the tent on our left.  We’ll go back and have him out.  Perhaps we can learn a few things.”

“Suits me,” Hal agreed.  “We can’t see anything here but troops, and we have seen too many of them to be much interested.  Come on.”

Fifteen minutes later found them seated in the tent Colonel Edwards had commandeered for his temporary headquarters and the colonel himself doing the talking.